5/5. Nintendo’s Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe is a prime example of how to make an amazing Kirby game even better. Not only is the entire original Wii classic remade, but a plethora of new content has also been added making this one of the definitive Kirby games for the Nintendo Switch. My name is Xander, I am in Grade 12 and this is my review.
Kirby’s Return to Dreamland is light on story, which is typical for the series. After a mysterious ship crashes on Planet Popstar, Kirby teams up with Bandana Waddle Dee, Meta Knight and King Dedede to help new character Magolor restore his ship and return to his home world.
Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe is a remake of a title released nearly 12 years ago, yet you would be hard pressed to tell this isn’t a new game. This simple 2D platformer, while a bit easy, has extremely fun gameplay and excellent mechanics. The game features expansive levels where you must use a variety of powers to get past the obstacle-filled environments. Despite being generally easy, Kirby’s Return to Dreamland still surprises players with challenging timed levels for ship parts and the hunt for five secret gears in each level. With eight unique and diverse worlds to traverse, plus the ability to play the entire game with up to four people, this title has it all!
Outside of the main game, this Deluxe version also introduces two new side modes: Merry Magoland and Magolor Epilogue. Merry Magoland is a collection of mini games, both from the series’ past and all-new mini games, that can be played with up to four people. There are a variety of missions to clear in each minigame and doing so unlocks character masks that can be worn in the main game.
If you are looking for new single-player content, the big new addition is the Magolor Epilogue which includes 20 unique stages, new and harder bosses, and a new playable character with a unique arsenal of abilities. In this mode, Magolor is stuck in an eerie dimension and must recover his lost abilities to escape. To get these abilities back, you need to collect experience points and fruit pieces to unlock and level up a variety of abilities. This does mix up the Kirby formula enough that you have to approach the levels somewhat differently than in the main game, choosing what abilities to power up and unlock to beat the stages efficiently.
Overall, Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe is one of the best 2D Kirby games that Nintendo has released. It retains the classic feel of the older Kirby titles and expands on it both visually and technically, while also having a variety of content outside of the main story. This game is a must-have for all Nintendo Switch owners and stands as one of the best 2D platformers out there.